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Despite openings in Manchester and London, L'Enclume in Cumbria remains Simon Rogan's flagship restaurant. And, despite the idyll of the place and the country house feel of the restaurant itself, the cuisine bears the stamp of his inimitable modernism.

Located in one of the most scenic parts of Britain, in a secluded stone-walled building which also features a number of rooms for staying guests, L’Enclume blends contemporary methods with timeless elegance. Food arrives in the form of tasting menus of small dishes – which can include the intriguing 'carrot sacks' with brawn, juniper, fried cake and cress, or other carefully thought up ingredients like goat's milk mousse, cockle butter and burnt pear.

But, amid the invention, Simon takes care not to lose sight of the familiar. Potted trout is served with radish, dill and rye toas, and while the vintage potatoes might come rolled in onion ash, it’s the flavour that we’ll recognise. Meat can take the form of a duck 'sweetbread' or the pairing of hake and chicken skin, while rare foraged herbs and vegetation are used expertly.

There’s a great wine list chosen to help diners on their quest for 'interaction with the food'. Two pricing options are available and vegetarians are well looked after.

The Telegraph called L'Enclume, 'Britain's most exciting restaurant', while the Good Food Guide continues to award it with a perfect 10/10, cementing its status as one of the best eateries in the country.

L'Enclume

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L'Enclume

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L'Enclume

Despite the idyll of the place and the country-house feel of the restaurant itself, the cuisine bears the stamp of Rogan's inimitable modernism

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L'Enclume

A relaxed yet professional atmosphere created by people that really care about what they do

Already a keen home cook, aged fourteen he took a weekend job in a Greek restaurant in his hometown of Southampton, but at that point the financial freedom it afforded was the motivator. Football was more on his mind, with trials for Chelsea and a training contract with Fulham in the offing; but realising this was a pipe dream, he focused on catering college instead, which he attended on day release while he continued to work. He told GQ of his time there: ‘I was surrounded by aspiring chefs who were far more experienced than me and were working in the great country-house hotels of the New Forest … I couldn’t stand for that! So that fired up my competitive spirit and I vowed to become the best chef I could.’